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PARIS - Formula One's governing body quickly hit reverse Thursday.
FIA will recommend guilty verdicts be dropped against the seven teams that boycotted the United States Grand Prix because new evidence showed they did nothing wrong.
The move comes less than a month after FIA ruled the teams were guilty of failing to provide suitable tires and wrongfully refusing to allow their cars to race in the June 19 event at Indianapolis. It was to announce sanctions Sept.14.
BMW-Williams, Mercedes-McLaren, BAR-Honda, Toyota, Sauber, Red Bull and Renault withdrew from the race after Michelin said its tires were unsafe for the track. Michelin wanted a series of turns to be installed to slow cars, but FIA refused because it could not alter the track for "sporting and legal reasons."
FIA's senate backed down at a meeting Thursday in Monaco and said the teams were right to follow Michelin's instructions to pull out. The teams were "contractually bound" to do so, FIA said in a statement.
It also said the teams and FIA could have faced legal action in the United States had they not followed contractual obligations.
A recommendation to drop the guilty verdicts will be made to FIA's World Motor Sport Council for a vote in the next few days, the statement said.
ATLANTA RECOVERY: Nearly one week after receiving a direct hit from a tornado, Atlanta Motor Speedway's president and general manager offered his assurance that this fall's Nextel Cup event will proceed.
With five cranes, nearly 300 workers and a BMW brake test serving as backdrop, Ed Clark dispelled rumors that the Oct.30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 would be postponed or moved to another speedway.
"I'm here to tell you we're going to run that race weekend without a hitch," Clark said.
He said the condominiums and administrative offices that overlook Turn 4 have been deemed structurally sound by engineers. The suites and some grandstand seats were not so fortunate.
More than 9,000 seats in the Weaver section located on the backstretch must be replaced or repaired. Remnants of the Weaver suites will be removed.
FORD'S NEW LOOK: Ford Motor Co. unveiled a prototype of the model that will replace its Taurus on the NASCAR circuit. The Fusion, a model debuting for Ford in 2006, will make its first start in next season's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Driver Dale Jarrett is expected to test the Fusion in August at Atlanta Motor Speedway as NASCAR completes its approval process for the car.
DECKED-OUT DANICA: Rookie IndyCar driver Danica Patrick looked glamorous despite not winning anything at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. "I got my hair all curly and I'm wearing a dress," she said, one of the few non-winners or presenters who came backstage. "A lot of fortune comes my way because I'm a girl, so I embrace that."
Patrick, 23, burst onto the national scene in May, when she finished fourth at the Indianapolis 500, the best showing by a woman in the race's 89-year history.
Patrick lost to Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat for breakthrough athlete.